Lost in the gym? Here’s how you can set up your own strength training plan to get kick-started.

posted by stevewatson77November 3, 20161 Comment

Worried about what people think whilst your amongst the gym environment? Can’t focus? Making up your workout as you go along? Making that first step into the weight room can be a daunting task for many, however it is certainly worth overcoming the anxiety and taking the plunge. There are a number of health benefits associated with weight training. The primary benefit is building lean muscle tissue, which in turn gives you a higher caloric output, leading to a leaner physique alongside improving your overall quality of life. What more could you ask for?

It’s time to get organised and set yourself up with your own strength training plan.

Here is a break down of what you want to consider in a strength training programme design:

Let’s start with the most important – Goal Setting: Do you have a particular deadline to work towards? Why do you want to build muscle and strength? Use a journal and track your workouts, how do you know whether you are improving if you don’t know what you did the previous session? Stay focused and never repeat the same workout twice. I would recommend using your own training journal to track and to also clearly state what your desired goal is alongside when you will achieve this by.

Next, it is important to consider the following into programme design:

Training Frequency

How many sessions can you do over the course of a week by week basis? Remember you must be able to stick to this week in, week out. There’s no point starting something if you are not going to see it through to the end, don’t start with 6 sessions a week if it isn’t realistic. For beginners a good place to start is 3 sessions a week for 1 hour which would cover 2-3 sets per exercise, this would also include both warm up and cool down. Stick to a set plan for 6-12 weeks, once you reach this stage it’s time to mix things up and give both your mind and body new stimulus to respond to. One of the most common problems that most people have is that they don’t see things through to the end, finish what you have started and you will see week on week progression with the use of consistent action.

Compounds Movements

If you are a beginner learn how to move well, learn how to engage your muscles and minimise the amount of momentum used in lifts (otherwise known as tempo). Start your sessions with your large compound moves as you will be fresh to reach new personal bests. Focusing on your compound movements will enable you to see greater strength gains alongside burning more calories thus making it more efficient to achieve the weight training benefits stated earlier. Its then always good to finish off your resistance training sessions off with some isolation work to compete a great session (single muscle work).

Recovery Time Between Sets

To maximize your strength gains in the gym it’s important to use your stopwatch, 3 minutes is ideal in between your working sets, however if you are tight for time bring your rest time down to no less than 1 minute. Just make sure that whatever happens ensure your rest periods on every workout is consistently the same. This way you can monitor performance more accurately.

Here is a template plan to use for 3 sessions per week:

Monday – Workout A:

1. Back Squats – 3 sets x 6-8 reps

2. Straight Legged Deadlifts – 3 sets 8-10 reps

3. Seated Hamstring Curls – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

4. Bulgarian Split Squats – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

5. Planks – 3 sets x 60s

6. Reverse Crunches – 3 sets x 10 reps

Wednesday- Workout B:

1. Flat Barbell Bench Press – 3 sets x 6-8 reps

2. Incline Dumbbell Press – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

3. Seated Rows – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

4. Lat Pulldowns – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

5. Barbell Curls – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

6. Tricep Extensions – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

Friday – Workout C:

1. Deadlifts – 3 sets x 6-8 reps

2. Leg Press – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

3. Walking Lunges – 3 sets x 10 reps on each leg

4. Hamstring Curls – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

5. Calf Raises – 3 sets x 8-10 reps

6. Side Planks – 3 sets x 60s

With clients I’m always focusing on lifestyle and nutrition, remember exercise is a part of the puzzle for building a stronger, healthier, mind and body. Stick to the plan, never repeat the same workout twice and focus on daily habits and routines which will take you to your health and fitness goals! Enjoy the lifestyle!

Lost in the gym? Here’s how you can set up your own strength training plan to get kick-started. was last modified: April 30th, 2017 by stevewatson77

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About Me

Since completing my sport and exercise science degree in 2013 at Loughborough University and qualifying as a level 3 registered exercise professional (REPs) I have been helping Londoners effectively work towards achieving their unique fitness goals. If you have any questions, or would like to book a personal training session in London, please do contact me.